Securing plugs in rack

[ArenaTech]

My main system is in a 10U rolling rack. I have everything pre-wired in there with a patch panel on the back for all of the inputs and outputs so I shouldn't ever need to reach in an plug in anything. Only problem is that when going from gig to gig, some of the power cords get unplugged from the power conditioner. With that, I have to reach in and try to find wherever the plug fell to, untangle it, and try to plug it back in.

Is there any tricks that people have found to keep power cords from falling out? I'm tempted to super-glue them in place, but I know that's not the answer to my problem.

Thanks!

[JackStalk]

What kind of power cords are they? How fat is the power strip? Depending on the shape you could possibly use zip ties. I would probably fabricate some sort of double sided velcro tape in case I had to disconnect anything

[ArenaTech]

I'm plugging into a standard 1U furman power conditioner. Most of the plugs are NEMA 5-15P, but also have some DC adapters too.

[light-o-matic]

Well.. the classy solution for this would be a Powercon power distro. But those aren't cheap.
But if you have your cables supported so that there's not much slack to pull at the plug, it should stay in much better. If you rack has rear rails, then there are all kinds of nifty rack cable organizers for the computer industry that can be helpful.. like this one...


https://www.cabletiesandmore.com/ken...l-managment-47

Actually that whole site is full of good stuff.

But yea, dress up your cables so that they run neatly from the power distro over to the closest rail (or, organizer attached to the rail), zip tie it there, then the same down near where it has to connect to whatever gear. Power cables on one side, audio cables on the other side...

Also.. some plugs stay in better than others, avoid power cords that have weak thin prongs that don't stay firmly in place.
Also.. some IEC cords you will find are just heavier than necessary for the actual amount of wire in them.. they are just huge masses of plastic so as to look more substantial when really all you've got inside is 18AWG wire. (18 is fine for low power things, for amps you want 16AWG or better). The extra bulk is likely to contribute to things pulling out so avoid that extra plastic. You can also buy shorter IEC power cords.. longer cords than you need all bundled up will cause it to pull out (if they are not zip tied to the rail).

In my rack I am using a Motion Labs Rack Pac and it's down at the bottom of the rack, which also helps.. and I have the cables zip tied to the rails.. and nothing ever pulls loose.